Related Experiment Videos
Selective use of drains in thyroid surgery
1Department of Surgery, State University of New York (SUNY) Health Science Center, Brooklyn 11203.
Journal of Surgical Oncology
|April 1, 1993
Summary
Thyroid surgery drains are often unnecessary for preventing hematoma or seroma. Selective drain use in thyroidectomies shows no difference in outcomes, suggesting drains should be used judiciously.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Oncology
- Endocrine Surgery
Background:
- Historically, drains were routinely used in thyroid surgery due to concerns about post-operative hematoma.
- Recent clinical experience suggests limited efficacy of drains in preventing hematoma or seroma after thyroidectomy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the necessity and impact of surgical drains in thyroidectomy procedures.
- To determine if selective drain placement affects patient outcomes compared to routine drain use.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 400 thyroidectomies over 9 years.
- Comparison of outcomes between routine drain use (first 6 years) and selective drain use (last 3 years).
- Selective drain criteria included large dead space, substernal goiter, or extensive multinodular/Graves' disease.
Main Results:
- Drains showed minimal effect on preventing post-operative hematoma or seroma.
- All patients requiring re-exploration had drains in place.
- Selective drain use in 150 recent thyroidectomies (35 drained, 115 undrained) showed no difference in overall outcomes.
- Undrained patients were often discharged within 24-48 hours.
Conclusions:
- Routine use of drains in thyroid surgery is not supported by this clinical experience.
- Selective utilization of drains based on specific surgical indications is proposed.
- Avoiding drains in most thyroidectomy cases may facilitate faster patient discharge without compromising safety.